It is becoming clear that trade digitisation has huge potential to unlock access to world trade for small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The move away from laborious, manual, paper-based processes will lever simpler access to trade finance, now that it is being provided by more agile, technology-friendly alternative funding providers. Here Simon Streat, VP of Product Strategy at Bolero International, discusses the new wave of digital change and the drive it’s providing for SMEs worldwide.

Regulatory burden has meant that SMEs often don’t fulfil certain criteria for banks to justify lending to. The demands of anti-money laundering (AML), Know Your Customer (KYC) rules, sanctions and other banking stipulations have been deemed too time-consuming and too costly to be worth the trouble where smaller exporters and importers are concerned. This is a significant blow, since by some estimates, more than 80% of world trade is funded by one form of credit or another. Until now, if your business was deemed too small to be worth considering for finance, there was hardly anywhere else to go.

The result has been deleterious to the prosperity of SMEs and detrimental to international trade. In 2016, the ICC Banking Commission’s report found that 58% of trade finance applications by SMEs were refused. This, as the authors pointed out, hampered growth, since as many as two out of every three jobs around the world are created by smaller businesses.

This rather depressing view was supported by a survey of more than 1000 decision-makers at UK SMEs which was conducted in February this year by international payments company WorldFirst. It found that the number of SMEs conducting international trade dropped to 26% in Q4 2017, compared with 52% at the end of 2016. Economic conditions and confidence have much to do with this, but so does access to trade finance.

There is a growing realisation, however, that if digitisation makes sense for corporates seeking big gains in speed of execution, transaction-visibility and faster access to finance and payment, it definitely will for SMEs. The ICC Banking Commission report of 2017 estimated that the elimination of paper from trade transactions could reduce compliance costs by 30%.

Over the past few years, for example a number of trade digitisation platforms have emerged offering innovative business models for supplying trade finance and liquidity, while optimising working capital, and enhancing processes for faster handling and cost savings. Progress is under way, but it requires expertise.

Fintechs in trade hubs such as Singapore, where there is huge emphasis on innovation, are taking the lead, transforming the availability and access to finance for SMEs. By making the necessary checks so much faster and easier and opening up direct contact with a greater range of banks, digital platforms enable customers to gain approval for financing of transactions that would otherwise be almost impossible. Not only that, they enjoy shorter transaction times and enhanced connectivity with their supply chain partners.

If we scan the horizon a little further we can also expect to see SMEs benefit from the influence of the open banking regulations, which require institutions to exchange data with authorised and trusted third parties in order to create new services that benefit customers.

Although the focus of these new regulations is primarily the retail banking sector, the tide of change will extend to trade finance, creating a far more sympathetic environment for the fintech companies and alternative funders. Yet the fintechs cannot do it alone, they need to be part of a network of networks that operates on the basis of established trust and digital efficiency.

No technology can work unless it is capable of satisfying the raw business need of bringing together buyers, sellers, the banks into transaction communities. That requires the building of confidence and the establishment of relationships, along with – very importantly – a real understanding of trade transactions and the processes of all involved. It also requires on-boarding and you can only achieve that once everyone knows a solution will deliver the efficiency gains it promises, as well as being totally reliable, secure and based on an enforceable legal framework. All this requires a level of expertise and insight that cannot simply be downloaded in a couple of clicks.

Nonetheless, it seems pretty obvious that thanks to digitisation, the market for SME financing in international trade is set for real expansion.

Brexit is edging closer every day, and equally everyday risk and opportunity float in a volatile sea of decisions for every business. Below Luke Davis, CEO and Founder of IW Capital, talks Finance Monthly through the complexities of alternative finance post-Brexit.

With a new tax year now underway, the first two weeks of April have also brought the revelation that investment spending in the UK grew more than in any G7 country in the lead up to 2018. Following outstandingly favourable conditions for British business in 2017, the first quarter of 2018 has held form for the new tax year. With the first round of Brexit terms agreed, and the passing of the Finance Act earlier last month, investor reactions to the events of 2018 steadily come under a time-sensitive microscope.

The government crack-down on asset-backed EIS opportunities and the significant expansion of new-age sectors such as med-tech, biotech and fintech has also significantly increased the focus on investor portfolio decisions for the 2018/2019 tax year. In a recent report from Mayfair-based private equity firm IW Capital, the high net-worth facing data found that one in five UK investors were turning away from traditional stocks and shares and instead choosing to invest in to new-age tech sectors such as energy tech and med-tech. Equally significant, the doubling of the EIS investment cap for knowledge-intensive companies, and the launch of a government consultation into a knowledge-intensive fund ensures these sentiments are duly supported by the infrastructure that supports the alternative finance arena.

The research further unveils that a post-Brexit climate in the investment arena is far from a bleak one, as over seven million investors say SMEs are more attractive as a result of increased trade prospects on the back of Brexit. Furthermore, over a quarter of investors say that they feel more encouraged to invest in SMEs after the formalization of Brexit has run its course.

This data comes amidst a more cautious outlook from the UK’s SME business leaders who previously predicted that smaller business would suffer a slow-down in the post-Brexit business climate. Seventy-five percent of small business owners said that they faced rising business costs, while the Federation of Small Businesses Quarterly Confidence Index also reported negative figures for the second time in five years.

Investors, on the other hand, have maintained a firm and optimistic perspective on both pre-and post-Brexit investment agendas in relation to the UK private sector. While the disparity between investors’ positive outlook and SME leaders’ scepticism reflects the UK market’s preparation process for Brexit, the discord also presents an opportunity for leaders on both sides of the investment spectrum to develop a symbiotic relationship.

Supported by one in five investors believing that Brexit will lead to higher quality and more frequent deal flow, and almost a third predicting that Brexit will improve SME productivity, the UK’s upcoming exit is an opportunity to drive new trading opportunities that could mean more SMEs seeing beyond Europe and proactively engaging more with the rest of the world. Moreover, many retail investors are keen to allocate funds in high-growth UK companies, and now have a much stronger chance of doing so due to the ongoing disintermediation of the alternative finance industry.

In order to leverage the growth in opportunities investors—particularly those in the alternative investment space—must transfer their optimism to SME business leaders. Government regulations on EIS investments, and other fiscal adjustments made in the Chancellor’s 2017 Autumn Budget, further provide a pre-and post- Brexit roadmap that can bring investors and business owners closer together. With this infrastructure in place, closing the disparity in Brexit perspective hinges on transmitting not only resources, but confidence. While many see Brexit as a challenge to both business leaders and investors, it is much more likely to provide opportunity instead.

Venture capital trusts (VCTs) remain front of mind for both SMEs and investors. In the 2016/17 tax period, fundraising stood at £542m – the highest figure in more than a decade – according to the Association of Investment Companies (AIC). Also, measures in last year’s budget and recommendations in the Patient Capital Review indicate that policymakers continue to see the strong value VCTs provide for both SMEs and investors and so, for 2018, the signs point to another strong year for the sector.

Here, Bill Nixon, Managing Partner at Maven Capital Partners, looks at the growth of VCTs as an asset class, their appeal to investors, and gives his view on the continuing value of VCTs as a source of SME finance.

The success of new share offers by the leading managers over the past few years illustrates how VCTs have increasingly been recognised as a mainstream asset class in investment planning and are becoming a common part of tax efficient and income-focused portfolios. Fundraising across the VCT sector as a whole has climbed steadily in each of the past five years, including a rise by around a fifth in 2016/17.

This burgeoning demand for VCT investments has been driven by strong long-term returns. Research by the AIC last year revealed that the top 20 VCTs returned on average 82 per cent by share price total return (a measure which takes into account both capital returns and dividends paid to shareholders) over the past decade. The very best performers achieved overall returns well into triple digits: for example, Maven’s Income and Growth VCT returned 187 per cent in that period. Top up share offers by Maven VCT 3 and Maven VCT 4 remain open, for both 17/18 and 18/19 tax years, with around £27m already raised from more than 1500 investors.

VCTs are attractive partly because they enable investors to enjoy significant tax benefits when putting their money into smaller, entrepreneurial UK businesses and participating in their growth. Investors in VCTs receive a 30 per cent upfront tax break, as well as tax free capital gains and dividends – provided they are willing to remain invested for at least five years.

The Government's aim in providing these reliefs is to encourage more capital to flow into riskier, early-stage companies. While this investment risk is an inherent feature of VCTs, it can be managed effectively for an investor by carefully choosing the VCT manager. The leading managers have up to 20 years’ experience of VCT investment and will employ a range of measures to achieve significant diversification and robust asset selection. An experienced manager will work closely with every business it backs, providing strategic counsel and operational expertise as the business grows.

Despite some concerns ahead of last year’s Budget that the levels of tax relief might be reduced, it instead adjusted investment criteria to ensure than VCT schemes continue to focus on investment in companies for long-term growth and development, rather than ‘lower risk’ investment primarily aimed at preserving capital. These changes confirm the position of VCTs as a vital means of drawing private investor capital to the SME sector and should ensure that VCTs remain attractive for investors. The continuing availability of long-term patient capital, at what is an increasingly important time for the UK economy, should give comfort to dynamic smaller businesses that they can continue to access vital equity finance, whilst allowing investors a route to participate in their success.

During the past couple of years it had also become clear that significant improvements were needed to HMRC’s Advance Assurance process, which had resulted in unnecessary delays to receiving VCT clearance on a large number of potential VCT deals. Streamlining Advance Assurance had been highlighted by managers across the sector as an important step in more efficiently directing capital to entrepreneurial businesses, and potentially boosting returns for investors. It was therefore encouraging that the Budget also announced that HMRC aims to enhance that approval process during the early part of 2018, which should help to improve the rate of new investments receiving VCT clearance and allow VCT managers to provide funding to the best available companies in a timescale that suits their growth plans.

Overall, VCTs have shown their worth from both an SME and investor perspective and this year’s fundraising is going well, with one or two VCT offers having already closed to investments. In the three years to mid-2017, VCTs had injected around £1.4bn of investor money into SMEs, illustrating their role as growth company funders and their performance and returns should see them further consolidate their position as an increasingly mainstream asset class in tax efficient and income-focused investment portfolios.

Optimism is high among SMEs across both Europe and the US, but is said optimism enough to warrant actual business expansion?

With investment in tech, especially AI, can SMEs afford to expand into new markets and regions? With tax cuts in the US, the new budget, incentives in the UK and confidence in markets all together, is optimism on the rise? Is this a year of your business expansion? What are your thoughts on the current climate, risks and opportunities?

In this week’s Your Thoughts Finance Monthly has heard from a number of top experts and businesses on their opinions and plans for expansion in 2018.

Rick Smith, Managing Director, Forbes Burton:

These days, with so many alternative funding streams available to entrepreneurs and established companies alike, it is easier than ever to get funding. However, this comes with an immediate danger and risk. How companies use this money is often the reason they run into trouble.

The tired adage of not putting all one’s eggs into one basket comes to mind, but it remains true. Diversifying, rather than concentrating on singular vision, is essential.

One thing we always advise companies to do is to think about having physical assets. Being labour-intensive and hiring equipment in the construction industry for example will only serve your growth so far. The lack of bricks and mortar or equipment assets can hit companies hard if things start to go wrong.

With so much uncertainty about, including Brexit, companies need to be mindful in order to be able to recover if things deviate.

Consider expansion of business premises or the purchase of a large, well priced piece of equipment. Ring-fencing that kind of value is wise and can be leveraged more easily. The danger in not looking for this kind of self-preservation is having to borrow more when you fall into a hole. By then it could well be too late. Growth is fantastic, but only when properly managed.”

Lewis Miller, Chief Financial Officer, Frank Recruitment Group:

When it comes to expanding your business in 2018, it isn’t a question of can you can afford to, it’s a question of can you afford not to?

Currently, the availability of cheap debt is at an all-time high; technology advancements are making it easier to invest in new capabilities and new markets, and trading internationally is becoming easier.

For these same reasons, competition is growing and getting tougher. If you are confident in your products and your capabilities, there is no time like the present to bite the bullet and invest in your expansion. If you don’t, it could be a decision you come to regret.

We are already seeing interest rates starting to rise and with strong wage rate growth being reported, this appears to be a trend set to continue. This will eventually place pressure on the economy. It’s impossible to predict the extent of which but I certainly wouldn’t rule out a recession over the next few years.

Expanding now, whilst the market dynamics are supportive will not only open up new opportunities, but the diversification will help protect your business in the event of downturn.

Having access to different markets can also give you a competitive edge with your customers as well as help attract new customers who are looking for a partner who can serve them across a wider array of offerings or geographies.

If you are looking at expanding this year into new markets, whether it be geographically or product, I would offer this one piece of advice – don’t assume that the secret sauce that has made you successful in your current market is the exact same secret sauce to enable you to succeed in new markets. You need to do your homework thoroughly across all key areas, such as; your value proposition; cultural differences in how people buy in the target market; laws and regulations; employing staff; and so on.

In SME’s, often we rely on our existing staff to drive the expansion agenda. Sometimes hiring or partnering with someone that has been there and done it in the market you are looking at, whilst costly, can be the difference in you getting it right the first time and really accelerating your growth.

Adam Schallamach, SME Growth Consultant, Business Doctors:

For a small or medium sized business, the timing of any decision to invest or expand is crucial to ensuring its continued success and, typically, owners will look at both internal and external factors before coming to any conclusions.

The external environment is confusing at the moment. For every article you find stating that business confidence is on the up, you can also find an article talking about how difficult conditions are. But, if you look through the noise, there are certain key themes at the macro level.

Despite it being 18 months since the referendum and nearly 12 months since Article 50 was triggered, we are no clearer about what the future relationship between the UK and Europe will look like. Obviously, if you are a business that relies on European interaction, this uncertainty could be crippling. But, even if you are not, the broader impacts of Brexit on the UK economy and its competitiveness, which could be positive or negative, will have an impact.

Interest rates are another key issue. As a result of inflationary pressures, the Bank of England is giving strong signals that there will be further interest rate hikes this year. These will impact the cost of borrowing and may raise pressures on finances going forward. However, interest rate rises can also have a positive impact on exchange rates altering costs for import/export businesses and supply chains.

As a consequence of Brexit, the Government is looking at how it realigns business related policies to refocus the economy. A major part of this is the Industrial Strategy which is intended to set out the broad vision going forward. Allied to this are the funding schemes/tax credits which are available and will continue to be available to assist business investment/expansion but it is clear that Government will increasingly use this tools to focus on particular areas rather than general business support.

However, whether the broader economic environment is up, down or sideways, businesses still succeed and prosper. And although there will always be exceptions, I would argue that for most small and medium businesses, the key is having a clear direction and strategy.

If a business owner knows what they want to get out of their business and has a clear alignment between that and their business objectives, that will drive what they need to do and when they need to do it. Worrying about external factors which are out of their control and even experts cannot agree on, is frankly a waste of time. So my advice is, if you do nothing else, take the time to revisit and refresh your business plan if you have one, or invest in pulling one together.

Mike Hoyle, Finance Director, Sellick Partnership:

We recognised early on that our financial year to February 2018 was going to be a big year for growth - not just for Sellick Partnership but for our clients and the wider economy.

Our temporary contractor numbers have grown steadily and the number of permanent placement has increased significantly on the year before. This reflects employers’ confidence in the market, indicating that they can afford to keep their new hires long-term.

Demand for recruitment services has increased across all sectors - including finance - and as a result, this year we are focusing on organically growing our professional services offering. We will strengthen our teams by recruiting more specialist consultants to make sure we reach our ambitious financial and operational targets for the next financial year - including surpassing £2m turnover for permanent placements.

These signs are all positive and optimism is certainly on the rise, but there still remains some uncertainty for business owners and employees alike. Although all things Brexit are definitely picking up pace, the remaining uncertainty creates risk, as businesses may struggle to properly plan for the future. With that in mind, it’s imperative that Theresa May pushes on with developments if we want a shot at further economic growth post-Brexit.

Mark O'Connell, CEO, OCO Global:

Market volatility in global equity markets in recent weeks might make you think 2018 has gotten off to a shaky start. But looking beyond this at the wider global economy, 2018 is shaping up to be a promising year for SMEs and could be the year for expansion. Last year, only just over one in ten UK SMEs exported, with businesses missing out on significant opportunities in markets outside of the UK.

2017 saw the return of a booming Europe. Key markets such as Germany, France, Italy and Spain are growing at the fastest pace in a decade and have not yet been fully explored. The German market in particular is a key prize – friendly, accessible and well-disposed to quality and strong service support. The weakness of Sterling also makes UK exporters more competitive than ever right now.

Uncertainty surrounding Brexit arrangements is also prompting many to look further afield for opportunities for growth. In the last year we have seen a significant increase in companies exploring North America. New tax friendly policies in the US have boosted small-business optimism, government-related cost pressures continue to ease and consumer spending remains strong. The US presents a supportive business climate for small firms and a wealth of opportunities.

The benefits of exporting are manifold; diversifying an export portfolio can increase both sales and business stability. A wider base of customers and distributors results in a more resilient business that is able to weather downturns in one or more markets, or offset quieter seasonal periods in one part of the world. Additionally, exporting exposes a business to new ideas and supports innovation. And one thing which UK SMEs are regularly chided for is ‘lack of ambition’: the fact is that more internationally diverse businesses achieve higher exit valuations, so don’t just fly the flag for the country- fly it for yourself.

Adrian O’Connor, Founding Director, Global Accounting Network:

There is no doubt that organisations of every size are increasingly taking a global approach to future expansion plans. It may sound like a cliché, but rapid technological advancements mean that geographic borders are not the barrier they once were - the world is getting smaller. Meanwhile, future uncertainty caused by myriad external factors, not least Brexit, is encouraging smart business leaders to explore opportunities outside of the UK. It’s no wonder that a growing number of organisations are looking to capitalise on favourable market conditions elsewhere, or simply hedge their bets against unpredictable local economies.

Recent client demand, and subsequent recruitment activity, reflects this growing thirst for international growth. The organisations we work with are increasingly seeking senior finance professionals who have experience within a global operation, are familiar with specific international tax structures or who have a solid background in analysing risk associated with global expansion strategies. Unsurprisingly, we have also witnessed job roles, and associated remits, shift in recent years to fit within business structures which are conducive to international operations.

While due diligence associated with overseas expansion expands far beyond the remit of finance teams alone, FP&A specialists who can provide detailed analysis of the strengths and opportunities of target markets - and management accountants who can advise on compensation packages based on local standards and customs - are highly sought after.

This is a strategy we have applied to our own growth plans and Global Accounting Network is expanding into the US this year. The decision was based on a similar market with a shared language and a business-friendly tax regime. International expansion is no longer a pipe-dream for the majority of business: it’s a logical next step for companies which have their ear to the ground and are looking to take their business to the next level.

Dany Rastelli, Global Marketing and Communications Manager, Elements Global Services:

2018 is the year for expansion. 2017 saw stronger growth than many had predicted and I think businesses are starting to look at their expansion timelines with greater optimism. Although companies will continue to proceed with caution in light of current geo-political events, they will no doubt look at international expansion with a view to offsetting negative growth in one market by starting to operate successfully in another.

With regards to Elements Global Services, we are certainly optimistic about what this year will hold for the company. As a global organisation we know our strengths, and are ready to put them to good use to achieve our short, medium and long term goals – no matter how ambitious they might seem. One example of our expansion plans this year, is our ambition to double our head count in the next twelve months across all offices.

It is clear that investing in tech, and more specifically AI, will be essential to a small business’ survival later down the line. In my opinion, this is a short-term (albeit costly) investment for a long-term gain that will give small businesses the competitive advantage. Companies are investing in their futures and it is widely acknowledged within the industry that automation and digitalisation will be the dominant route to market going forward. This influx of tech adoption now should see lower overheads further down the line, allowing for companies to become more profitable across a multitude of markets.

With the latest tax cuts in the US, incentives in the UK and a general confidence in the markets, I think a mood of cautious optimism has pervaded the financial markets in the last 18 months and the global economy has witnessed a positive trend developing. As a result, companies have started to look at expansion with more confidence than before. Although it is indisputable that the current economic climate is volatile, I personally believe that in every risk lies an opportunity. In 2017 the global economy far surpassed expectation and I predict that 2018 will continue this trend and allow businesses to expand and triumph in the face of both global and local adversities.

Chris McClellan, CEO, RAM Tracking:

Despite the ongoing uncertainty around Brexit, and the value of sterling, UK SMEs are still operating in a dynamic and exciting business environment where expansion is a viable option. A recent survey by American Express found that 41% of UK SMEs cite their leveraging of the particular advantages they enjoy as an SME – such as adaptability, innovation and strong customer relationships – as one of their top three strategies for fuelling revenue growth in 2018. And this optimism doesn’t cease when crossing the pond with the recent US National Federation of Independent Business survey reporting one in five SMEs looking to both hire and expand during 2018.

Back in the UK, the American Express survey also states that the majority of those surveyed cite economic uncertainty the most significant threat they face – which has switched from political uncertainty within the same poll just a year earlier. While concerns are ever-present though, this is matched with increased optimism about the opportunities that are out there to trade and form strategic alliances, both in the UK and overseas.

Indeed, developing a specific overseas strategy is a clear advantage for SMEs particularly as it provides a safety net/ pool of new customers and suppliers to fall back upon, as the UK’s departure from the EU draws ever nearer and the weaker pound becomes more attractive for overseas buyers. According to KPMG, almost half of UK exports were destined for the EU in 2017, which demonstrates the dire need to start looking at forging wider global relationships now as a safeguard.

Naturally, global expansion requires a number of obligations around tax and culture to consider but the typical make up of a successful small business – which incorporates focus, strong working/ customer relationships and consistency – helps provide the ‘front’ required to successfully move beyond our national barriers. Financing is of course, an ever-present issue – and barrier – for some, but again, by utilising the agility and innovative nature of an offering and in-house team, investment can become much easier to source. For those not quite at the stage where they can do this, perhaps 2018 is better used looking at the business and how they can make it ‘overseas expansion ready’ in order to make 2019 or 20 the year when they truly elevate.

Indicating business efficiencies is a key element of driving success within existing efforts but this also helps in demonstrating the potential for an SME to move to the next level where expansion (in the UK or indeed, overseas, is concerned). This comes down to measures like ensuring that supplier relationships are properly managed in terms of spend and consolidating requirements down to the fewest suppliers possible. However, internal measures that drill down the day-to-day costs are always needed, an example of such measures is the use of vehicle tracking devices for employees out on the road, as these are very effective and also demonstrate that employee safety and well-being is proactively being monitored.

While nothing in life that is worth getting comes easily, it does seem that the current business landscape is 'expansion-ready' where SMEs are concerned – indeed, the expected uncertainty caused by the current Brexit negotiations actually represents an opportunity for SMEs to forge new relationships that are not as dependent on exiting the EU in terms of tariffs and taxation. So, in conclusion, go forth and conquer!

We would also love to hear more of Your Thoughts on this, so feel free to comment below and tell us what you think!

Dun & Bradstreet and the Small BusinessResearch Centre have revealed a community of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who are confident that the UK is a great place to start a small business (72%), but face a plethora of challenges in a rapidly changing political, regulatory and economic landscape. The study found that UK SMEs see late payments, uncertainty around Brexit and a fluctuating pound as potentially detrimental to growth, with 54% confident about future success.

Although keeping ahead of the competition and attracting new customers remains a key priority, SMEs are concerned about the impact of Brexit: almost one in three respondents (32%) said it has affected their confidence negatively. A third (35%) of those surveyed have cancelled or postponed expansion plans as a direct result of the Brexit vote, while 34% admit that they have rewritten their business plan in response to the ongoing economic and political uncertainty.

In this time of heightened uncertainty, over a quarter (26%) of SMEs also highlighted timely payments as the most critical factor for financial success. Respondents indicated that at any one time, they are owed an average of £63,881 in late payments, with 11% saying they are owed between £100,000 and £250,000. The consequences of late payments include cash flow difficulties (35%), delayed payments to suppliers (29%) and reduced profit performance (24%). Some respondents have even had to dip into their personal savings to cover the shortfall. And the problem is growing - more than half (51%) of SMEs say late payments are more of a problem than three years ago, with 58% going as far as to say this issue is putting their business at risk of failure.

“Late payment of debts is a perennial challenge for SMEs” explains Professor Robert Blackburn from Kingston University’s Small Business Research Centre, “This seems to worsen during difficult economic times. Although many SMEs are able to tighten their belts during an economic slowdown, late payment adds further pressure on cash flow.”

While SMEs face many challenges in the current environment, the study revealed a positive outlook amongst the small businesses surveyed. Even with the backdrop of unprecedented turbulence, most SMEs still have a clear business strategy prepared (70%). And they believe their business has a bright future in the UK, with three quarters (75%) saying they are confident they can achieve financial growth in the next five years.

“It was reassuring that the majority of respondents still think Britain is a great place to start a small business, and most believe they’ll enjoy success in the coming years.” says Edward Thorne, UK Managing Director of Dun & Bradstreet. “There’s no doubt there will be bumps along the road, but this is positive news for the overall health of the UK business environment.”

(Source: D&B)

Mid-market businesses are bracing themselves for the impact of Brexit and looking beyond Europe to shore up their future success, according to research from Mills & Reeve.

The study, Defying Gravity - based on the opinions of 500 leaders of medium-sized businesses – reveals that mid-market businesses remain confident in their growth prospects despite feeling the fallout of the vote already, and are overhauling their strategies in preparation for Britain’s EU exit.

Over 60% of mid-market business leaders plan to increase investment in exports beyond the EU in response to Brexit.

The research reveals that mid-market businesses are feeling bullish despite the unstable landscape, with 83% planning to increase turnover this financial year (2017/2018) by an average of 22%.

However, mid-market businesses are facing some serious challenges, and many are already feeling the repercussions of the Brexit vote. More than half of businesses report falling demand, and over half have experienced increased issues with late payment following the referendum result in 2016.

But the more substantial hurdles still lie ahead. With 60% of mid-market leaders saying that single market access is ‘critical’, leaders believe that failing to reach a deal with the EU would cause significant damage to their business.

And whatever the outcome, businesses are preparing for tough times ahead: 61% expect the administrative burden of regulatory or legislative change to cost their business significant time and money. There are also fears of increased talent shortages once Britain leaves the EU. Sixty seven percent of technology company leaders believe that the UK’s departure from the EU poses a serious threat to recruitment and retention of specialists.

Claire Clarke, managing partner at Mills & Reeve, comments: “Although Britain has not yet made its exit from the EU, mid-market businesses have been feeling the effects of Brexit since the referendum results were announced. But our research shows that business leaders are finding ways to meet the challenge and actively adjusting their strategies to deal with the fallout.

“Despite current uncertainties surrounding Brexit, it’s encouraging to see leaders remaining buoyant and setting their sights high for the future. This confident but flexible approach will help mid-market businesses keep their position as the driving force of the British economy.”

Tom Pickthorn, Head of International at Mills & Reeve, adds: “The fact that so many mid-market businesses are keen to increase their investments in exports beyond the EU in response to Brexit is very encouraging. Future economic growth will be driven by emerging market economies rather than European countries, so businesses that are willing to look further afield can expect to be rewarded for their efforts.

“Although Brexit is presenting challenges, it may also be prompting an important expansion of horizons. This is good news for the mid-market, and good news for the UK as a whole.”

(Source: Mills & Reeve)

More than a quarter (27%) of small financial business owners in the UK have had a health scare since starting their business according to research from Ultimate Finance, which explores the pressure British SMEs are under in the UK.

79% of financial business owners and managers worry their current work / life balance is having a negative impact on their health.

Two fifths (40%) have found it hard to eat healthily since starting a business, while a further 21% struggle to go to the gym and maintain their health regime.

81% worry about the future and their health due to their work habits.

Steve Noble, ‎Chief Operating Officer at Ultimate Finance commented: “While it is common knowledge that running your own business is stressful, we were shocked it has triggered health scares in so many entrepreneurs in the banking and finance sector. It can be isolating spearheading a business, particularly in uncertain economic and political times and clearly the strain is taking its toll in terms of personal health and wellbeing. Many SMEs operating in the financial sector are simply not finding the time to eat well or exercise.

“When you consider that over five million businesses are SMEs, we could be heading towards a bit of a crisis. We need to start talking seriously about the importance of prioritising physical health, not just for the sake of entrepreneurs’ personal health but to ensure the long-term success of their business.”

Business psychologist Robert Stewart added: “Many SME owners focus on the needs of the business and their employees but fail to address their own personal needs. At the start of a new year, I would urge the UK’s financial SME community to take this research seriously and establish their own process for looking after themselves. This may be in the form of a personal wellbeing advocate who can ask them difficult questions about their work / life balance or simply by taking a more honest look at the way they work and creating boundaries and new habits of eating well and exercising.”

The independent survey, carried out by 3Gem on behalf of SME funding partner Ultimate Finance, questioned hundreds of managing directors, across a range of sectors, about the impact that running their business was having on their lives.

Ultimate Finance conducted the research as part of a bigger SME wellbeing campaign, with the aim of highlighting the need for small business owners to consider their own health, as well as their employees. To help SMEs who need support with their wellbeing, the leading UK funding ally has created an information hub with insight and guidance on a range of business wellbeing topics.

(Source: Ultimate Finance)

Yesterday saw Chancellor Phillip Hammond deliver his second budget.  While the abolition of Stamp Duty, several tax revisions, freezes on several duties, increased investment in AI and Technology and a £3 billion investment into the NHS all came as welcome additions they could not prevent a sharp drop in the UK Growth Forecast following the budget.

So with many experts labelling it a ‘make or break’ moment for Hammond and a somewhat beleaguered Government, we spoke to the industry experts to see what the Autumn budget really means for the Financial Sector in a special extended Your Thoughts: Autumn Budget 2017

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FinTech & Digital

Abe Smith, CEO and Founder at Dealflo

London has been a world-leading financial centre since the 19th century, but low growth forecasts and the lack of clarity around Brexit are unsettling for businesses. The Chancellor has had to work hard to ensure that the UK remains an attractive place to invest and innovate post-Brexit. The new National Investment Fund means that even after Brexit, the UK will remain a hub for FinTech innovation and will attract fast-growing tech companies.

Niels Turfboer, Managing Director of UK & Benelux, Spotcap:

The FinTech industry is going from strength to strength and the UK Government can play an important part in enabling FinTechs to continue to thrive.

We therefore welcome Philip Hammond’s promise to invest over £500m in numerous technology initiatives, including artificial intelligence and regulatory innovation, as well as unlock over £20bn of new investment in UK scale-up businesses.

With this assurance, the government has shown a strong commitment to the FinTech sector, which will hopefully help tech companies all around the UK to flourish and grow.

World Economic Forum member Jane Zavalishina, CEO of Yandex Data Factory

The reality is that it is not the scientific development of AI that will be game-changing in the next few years, but instead the more prosaic, practical application of AI across many different sectors.

While AI is too often associated with self-driving cars and robots, the truth is the most significant AI applications that are of most significance to businesses, are actually the least visually exciting. AI that improves decision-making, optimises existing processes and delivers more accurate demand prediction will boost productivity far more powerfully than in all sectors.

But it’s not just productivity that will be significantly impacted – business revenue will also benefit. The beauty of AI lies in its ability to be applied with no capital investments – making it an affordable innovation for businesses to adopt. Unlike what is commonly thought, applying AI does not require infrastructure changes – in many processes cases we already have automated process control, so adding AI on top would require no investment at all. Instead, companies will see ROI within just a few months.

Martin Port, Founder and CEO BigChange:

We welcome this announcement and support for tech businesses from the Chancellor. Financial backing and stability is a huge hurdle facing all start-ups, so I am pleased to see the government pledge more than £20 billion of new investment. I just hope this funding is easy to access and readily available for those who need it, rather than being hidden among reams of red tape.

Leon Deakin, Partner in the technology team at Coffin Mew:

As a firm with a growing technology sector and client base in this area we are obviously delighted to see specific investment in the technology sector, particularly in AI and driverless vehicles.

Doom mongers have long been predicting that the UK and its tech hubs will be hit hard by Brexit and there have been numerous reports of rival cities within the EU which have sought to position themselves as alternative options. However, we are yet to see this materialise and incentives and commitments such as those announced by the Chancellor in these innovative but essential areas have to be great news for the economy, the sector and those who advise businesses in it.

Of course, creating the next unicorn is no easy task but a serious level of investment of the magnitude announced should at least ensure those businesses with promise have the best chance to scale up even if they don’t reach the $1billion level. Likewise, there is little point developing these new technologies if the infrastructure and support is then not there to utilise them properly

Matthew Adam, Chief Executive Officer of We Are Digital:

With the UK economy now expected to grow by 1.5% in 2017, a downgrade from the 2% forecast made in March, coupled with the challenges of Brexit, the need for the UK to sit at the forefront of digital skills and inclusion is more pressing than ever. We need to be able to grasp, with both hands, the digital opportunities that present themselves to us in order to make us a true global digital force.

The reality is that we simply cannot afford not to. Independent analysis shows that getting the UK online and understanding how to use digital tools could add between £63 billion - £92 billion to UK Plc’s annual GDP. Indeed, it is my belief that economies which focus strongly on getting its citizens online are also more productive.

The Chancellor has said that a new high-tech business is founded in the UK every hour, which he wants to increase to every half hour. It is imperative we support this growth through the announced £500m investment in artificial intelligence, to 5G and full-fibre broadband. However, to bridge the need for the 1.2 million new technical and digitally skilled people which are required by 2022, we must create and support retraining opportunities across society to make the UK truly digital.

Technology improvements are causing widespread changes in every market and the public sector should be no exception, especially as it often faces the biggest social problems to solve. I’m glad the government is waking up to the fact that the latest technological advances don’t need to be assigned only to the private sector, but can do a lot of good to the community at large. We know from our direct work with the Home Office that every government and council department is moving its processes online. Whether it’s chatbots to automate processes, or solving how people engage with Universal Credit, there is so much we can do here with ‘Gov -tech’

I therefore welcome the Chancellor’s digital announcements today and consider this budget as not so much a leap in the right digital direction, but more a necessary conservative step.

UK Growth, Forex & Investment

Owain Walters, CEO of Frontierpay:

The Chancellor’s efforts to win younger voters from Labour by abolishing stamp relief for first-time buyers on homes up to £300,000, and on the first £300,000 of properties up to £500,000, come as no surprise. The potential for such an announcement has been a hot media topic in recent weeks and as such, we don’t expect to see any significant impact on the value of the pound.

“In the wake of this Budget, any real movement from the pound will be caused either by developments in the Brexit negotiations or the potential for a further interest rate rise. I would therefore advise any businesses that want to stay on top of turbulence in the currency markets to keep a close eye on inflation data.

Markus Kuger, Senior Economist, Dun & Bradstreet

It’s not surprising that the Chancellor opened this year’s statement with a focus on Brexit; even as businesses absorb the implications of the Budget, they have a close eye to the ongoing negotiations and any likely trade agreement, which is likely to profoundly impact their future. The government’s move to provide a £3bn fund in the event of a no-deal outcome is designed to increase business confidence. In the meantime the business environment remains challenging, and Dun & Bradstreet forecasts that real GDP growth in 2018 will slow to 1.3% (from 1.8% in 2016). Businesses should continue to follow the Brexit negotiations closely and consider that operating conditions could change dramatically over the next 18 months as the Brexit settlement is clarified.”

 Damian Kimmelman, CEO of Duedil

We welcome the government’s announcement that the Enterprise Investment Schemes’ (EIS) investment limit, for knowledge intensive scale-ups has been doubled.

The EIS has been great for attracting investment for small businesses, however we need to ensure investment through the scheme is not being used for capital preservation purposes, but instead to encourage the growth of companies.

The key to increasing investment in ‘higher risk’ growth companies through the EIS scheme, is to eliminate information friction. With more data, investors can price risk effectively, so they can lend to support the small businesses forming the backbone of the economy, driving growth, and creating jobs.

Lee Wild, Head of Equity Strategy at Interactive Investor:

This budget was always going to be especially tricky for the chancellor. Hitting fiscal targets amid wide divisions over Brexit, while also spending more on populist policies to distract voters from Conservative party infighting and dysfunctional cabinet, was a big ask.  Hammond wasn’t fibbing when he promised a balanced budget. Once tax giveaways, downgrades to growth forecasts, billions more for the NHS and the rest are put through the mincer, both the FTSE 100 and sterling are unchanged.

Given Britain’s housing crisis was an obvious target for the chancellor, he really needed something substantial to make his aim of 300,000 new homes built every year anything more than a pipe dream.  Committing to at least £44 billion of capital funding, loans and guarantees to support the housing market will go a long way to achieving the chancellor’s ambitious target. Abolishing stamp duty for first-time buyer purchases up to £300,000 is a tiny saving, however, and buyers, especially in London, will still require a huge deposit to get a foot on the housing ladder.

The market hung on Hammond’s every word, causing a comical yo-yo effect as the chancellor slowly revealed his strategy.  A threat to use compulsory purchase powers where builders are believed to be holding land for commercial reasons, could cause sleepless nights.

Overall, Hammond’s ideas are sound, but probably not enough of a catalyst to get sector share prices rising significantly near-term, given mixed results in the run-up to this budget.

Mihir Kapadia – CEO and Founder of Sun Global Investments:

The Autumn budget statement from Chancellor Phillip Hammond was as expected, with a few pleasant surprises. While Mr Hammond set out his policy proposals with a "vision for post-Brexit Britain", he also acknowledged that his Budget was "about much more than Brexit".  With the Conservatives struggling in the polls, the Chancellor was under pressure to regain support for his party, which is currently in a fragile coalition.

The expected announcements include the decision to abolish stamp duty for first time buyers on properties up to £300,000, addressing the housing crisis, an immediate injection of £3.75 billion into the NHS, investments into infrastructure (transport and network), freezing duty on fuel, alcohol and air travel, and finally a Brexit contingency budget of £3 billion.

While today’s budget was populist and aimed at the electorate, it has to be noted that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) sharply downgraded both Britain's productivity and growth forecasts, as well as its business investment forecasts, meaning the UK's finances look set to worsen over the coming years. This does not factor the possibility of a Brexit-related downturn or a wider global recession, which has already been seen as overdue by many forecasters.

We expect the abolition of stamp duty for first time buyers on properties up to £300,000 will draw extra attention and headlines from much of today’s announcements. It is vital that we acknowledge the warnings from the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Angus Dent, CEO, ArchOver:

The UK’s productivity growth continues to decrease and we’re looking in the wrong place for answers. It’s not just a case of everyone working a bit harder. Investment in public infrastructure and fiscal policy will be the defining factors that help the UK catch up, while real growth will come from our SME sector.

Britain is known as a nation of entrepreneurs. Yet we’re in real danger of not giving our SMEs the support they need to thrive. We need a bottom-up approach where small businesses with bright ideas have access to the finance and advice they need to grow. Only then will we have the firm economic foundation we need to build our productivity post-Brexit.

The expansion of the National Investment Fund in today’s Budget is a good start, but too many SMEs still have to pay their way with personal savings or put their houses on the line as security if they turn to the big banks for help.

We need to inspire a new culture. We know there is an army of willing investors out there who want to support British business - lending across P2P platforms is on course to rise by 20 per cent by the end of this year according to data from 4thWay.

However, we need to raise awareness among SMEs of the different options available to help them finance their growth. SMEs need to take control of their own destiny. With the right finance in place, they can drive the whole country forward to new heights of productivity. We can’t just leave it to government – small businesses must be given the power and the cash to fulfil their potential.

Tax

Paul Falvey, tax partner at BDO:

It’s clear that the headline grabbing news revolved around the Chancellor’s decision to abolish stamp duty for first time buyers on properties purchased up to 300,000, at a cost of £600m a year to the tax man. Whilst this is important for people getting on the property ladder, there were other key assertions.

Firstly, HMRC will start to charge more tax on royalties relating to UK sales when those royalties are paid to a low tax jurisdiction.  Although this is only set to raise approximately £200m a year, it sets a precedent that tax avoidance will continue to be on the governments agenda. Implementing the OECD policies is a tactic we expected.

Furthermore, companies will pay additional tax on the increase in value of their capital assets from January 2018. The expected abolition of indexation allowance will mean that, despite falling tax rates, companies will be taxed on higher profits. By 2022/2023 this is expected to raise over £525m.

62% of the businesses we polled before the Budget said they will be willing to pay more taxes in return for a simpler system. Yet, once again, the government has done nothing to tackle the issue of tax complexity. It is a huge obstacle to growth and businesses will be disappointed that there was no commitment to setting out a coherent tax strategy.

Craig Harman is a Tax Specialist at Perrys Chartered Accountants:

Although it was widely anticipated beforehand, the only real rabbit out of the hat moment for the Chancellor was confirming the abolishment of stamp duty for first time buyers. This equates to quite a generous tax incentive for those able to benefit resulting in a £5,000 saving on a £300,000 property purchase.

The Chancellor has also stood by his previous promises, by raising the personal allowance to £11,850, and the higher rate threshold to £43,650. This is in line with the commitment to raise them to £12,500 and £50,000 respectively by the end of parliament.

Small business owners will be pleased to note that speculation regarding a decrease in the VAT registration threshold did not come to fruition. It was anticipated the Chancellor would look to bring the UK in line with other EU countries, however this will be consulted on instead and may result in changes over the next couple of years. Any decrease in the threshold could place a significant tax and compliance burden on the smallest businesses.

Ed Molyneux, CEO and co-founder of FreeAgent

I don’t believe that this is a particularly positive Budget for the micro-business sector. Rather than actually offering real support or meaningful legislation to people running their own businesses in Britain, the Chancellor has simply kept the status quo.

While it’s pleasing to see that the VAT threshold has not been lowered - which would have added a significant new administrative burden to millions of UK business owners - this is hardly cause for celebration. Neither is the exemption of ‘white van men’ from diesel charges, which is the very least that the Government could have done to protect the country’s army of self-employed tradespeople.

It’s also disappointing that there are still a number of issues including digital tax that have not been expanded in this Budget. I would have preferred to see the Chancellor provide clarity on those issues, as well as introducing new legislation to curb the culture of late payment that is plaguing the micro-business sector and further simplifying National Insurance, VAT and other business taxes.

Rob Marchant, Partner, Crowe Clark Whitehill

The Chancellor announced that the VAT registration threshold will not be changed for the next two years while a review is carried out of the implications of changing this (either up or down).

Having a high threshold is often regarded as creating a ‘cliff edge’ for businesses that grow to the point of crossing that line. However, keeping a significant number of small businesses away from the obligations of being VAT registered allows them to focus on running their operations without additional worry. Many small businesses will welcome the retention of the threshold.

The consultation should look at ways to help smooth the effect of the “cliff edge”, while continuing to reduce administrative obligations for small businesses.

Jane Mackay, Head of Tax, Crowe Clark Whitehill

The tax avoidance debate has centred around large multinationals and their corporate tax bills. High profile cases have eroded public trust in how we tax companies. By maintaining the UK’s low corporate tax rate, currently 19%, and reducing it to 17% from 2020, the Chancellor accepts that corporate tax is only of limited relevance in our UK economy. It accounted for around just 7% of UK tax revenues last year.

The Budget announces changes to extend the scope of UK withholding taxes to tax royalty payments in connection with UK sales, even if there is no UK taxable presence. There will be computational and reporting challenges, but this measure may pacify those who feel the UK is not getting enough tax from international digital corporates which generate substantial sales revenues from the UK

Healthcare & Retail

Hitesh Dodhi,Superintendent Pharmacist at PharmacyOutlet.co.uk

With a focus on Brexit, housing and investment into digital infrastructure, it was disappointing to see a many healthcare issues overlooked in today’s Budget. The additional £2.8 billion of funding for the NHS in 2018-19 is a undoubtedly a step in the right direction, but it falls short of the extra £4 billion NHS chief executive Simon Stevens says the organisation requires.

What’s more, the Budget lacked substance and specifics; it did little to progress digitalisation in the healthcare sector – an absolute must – while the opportunity to promote pharmacy to play a greater role in delivering front-line services to alleviate the burden on GPs and hospitals was also overlooked. These are both items that should feature prominently on the Government’s health agenda, but the Chancellor did little to address either in today’s announcement.

Jeremy Cooper, Head of Retail Crowe Clark Whitehill:

There is little in this Budget to bring cheer to the struggling retail sector.

The changes to bring future increases in business rates into line with the Consumer Price Index in 2018, two years earlier than previously proposed, is welcome, but is it enough for hard-stretched shop owners?

The National Living Wage will increase for workers of all ages, including apprentices, which is excellent news for lower paid employees. Retailers would not begrudge them this increase, but retail tends to have a higher proportion of lower paid employees and the impact on store profitability and hurdle rates for new stores should not be underestimated.

There is more positive news for DIY, home furnishings and related retailers in the form of the abolition of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) for first time house buyers. This should help stimulate the first time buyer market and free up the wider housing market which in turn should boost retail sales for DIY and home furnishings retailers from buyers decorating and furnishing their new homes.

Property & Real Estate

Paresh Raja, CEO of bridging specialist MFS

After an underwhelming Spring Budget that completely overlooked the property market, this time around the Chancellor has at least announced some reforms that will benefit homebuyers. While stamp duty has been cut for first-time homebuyers, the amount of money this will save prospective buyers is in reality still limited – the average first-time buyer spends £200,000 on a property; abolishing stamp duty for them will save them just £1,500.

Importantly, homeowners looking to upgrade to another property still face the heavy financial burden of stamp duty, which will ultimately deter them from moving house. I fear this will have significant implications in the longer term, decreasing the number of people moving from their first property purchase, and thereby reducing the number of properties available for first-time homebuyers, and reducing movement in the market as a whole.

Fareed Nabir, CEO and founder of LetBritain

“Having acknowledged the growing number of Brits stuck in rental accommodation, it’s pleasing to see the Government deliver a Budget heavily geared towards the lettings market. With 7.2 million households likely to be in the rental market by 2025, the Chancellor has seized the opportunity to continue with the recent wave of reforms by offering tax incentives for landlords guaranteeing tenancies of at least 12 months. This should hopefully have a trickle-down effect on rental prices, offering more financial manoeuvrability for tenants saving to buy their own house – something the Chancellor has made easier – while also providing additional security for renters.”

Richard Godmon, tax partner at Menzies LLP

We should to see house price increases almost immediately on the back of this announcement. His commitment to building an extra 300,000 homes a year is not going to happen until 2020s, so this measure could lead to market overheating in the meantime.

The removal of indexation allowance will come as a further blow to buy-to-let landlords, many of whom have been transferring their portfolios into companies since interest the restriction rules were introduced. This will mean paying more tax on the future sale of properties.

Now that all sales of UK investment property by non-residents after April 2019 will be subject to UK tax, it effectively means one of the incentives to invest in UK property by non-residents has been removed.

Jason Harris-Cohen, founder of Open Property Group 

There was a lot of speculation before the Budget that the Chancellor would reduce or temporarily suspend stamp duty for first-time buyers, in a bid to help young people get on the property ladder. What we got was the complete abolishment of the tax on first-time house purchases of up to £300,000, effective from today, and in London and other expensive areas, the first £300,000 of the cost of a £500,000 purchase by first-time buyers will be exempt from stamp duty. This is arguably the biggest talking point of today’s announcement and as the Chancellor says will go a long was to "reviving the dream of home ownership".

It was equally refreshing to hear that the Government is committed to increasing the housing supply by boosting construction skills and they envisage building 300,000 net additional homes a year on average by the mid-2020s. However, I was surprised that local authorities will be able to charge 100% premium on council tax on empty properties, though I appreciate that this is a further stimulus to free up properties sitting empty and bring them back to the open market to increase supply. Conversely this could result in falling house prices if there is further supply and lower demand following a period of political and economic uncertainty.

What was disappointing, however, was the absence of any mention to reverse the stamp duty change that were introduced in 2016 for buy-to-let and second homes, which is currently deterring people from investing in the private rented sector. The longer it is around the more of a knock on effect it will have on the growing homelessness crisis, a problem the Government plans to eliminate by 2027 - a bold statement from Mr Hammond!

We’d love to hear more of Your Thoughts on Phillip Hammond’s Autumn Budget.  Will it benefit Britain and will the reduced growth forecasts have an impact?  Let us know by commenting below.

Despite two thirds¹ (66%) of small businesses having been a victim of cybercrime, one in four owners (27%) admitted they aren’t up to date on the cyber security measures that could defend them against digital attacks in a recent survey by A&O IT One Solution.

To help SMEs ensure their lack of dedicated IT department doesn’t make them a soft target, the worldwide IT support and technology services specialist has prepared a check list to keep their company cyber safe. These include:

1. Review the data that your business holds to recognise which assets need additional protection, which employees or third parties can access it and identify whether data is adequately backed up. Consider encrypting any sensitive data or reducing network access to certain users, particularly when working remotely or using personal devices for work.
2. Stay secure through regular IT upgrades and anti-malware software updates. A&O IT’s recent research indicated that a third (35%) of SME owners aren’t kept up to date with the latest IT regulations that could leave them vulnerable to hacking.
3. Train staff to understand the risks and their responsibilities to keeping the company secure. With a third (32.7%) of employees regularly accessing social media sites such as Facebook while at work and only half of SMEs (49.2%) providing their team with internet and computer usage guidelines, education is key to limiting external threats.
4. Check you have the right level of technical support in place for your business needs. Whilst 61.9% of responders admitted life would be easier if an IT engineer was located nearby or on site, it isn’t always possible for SMEs to employ a dedicated IT expert. Outsourcing to experts is a practical solution, ensuring the right controls are in place and a trusted expert is always available to resolve any issues.
5. Run regular checks to test the effectiveness of your procedures against cyber security and manage any changes in risk levels to your organisation. Specialists such as A&O IT can help customers review their systems to ensure they’re always prepared against the ever-evolving cyber risks.
6. Have a plan in place so everyday business can continue even if attacked. Where websites are designed to take payment, this might include having alternative procedures in place so that transactions can continue to be taken.
7. Make sure ALL your staff are issued with written internet usage guidelines and ensure they acknowledge they have received and understood its’ contents.

Rod Moore, chairman of A&O IT One Solution, said: “The reality is that the innovations that have increased efficiencies across SMEs are the same ones that are making businesses vulnerable to commercial risks.

“As cybercrime continues to rise and small businesses emerge as the most hacked sector it’s vital that companies act now to protect themselves against attacks that could have a devastating impact on their bottom line.”

(Source: A&O IT One Solution)

Late payments are an even bigger challenge for those medium-sized companies, with 94% of businesses employing over 50 people reporting that the issue is causing cashflow problems for them. This is according to new figures from Ultimate Finance.

In partnership with BDRC Continental, Ultimate Finance conducted research into the impact of late payments on the SME sector.

Other stats to be revealed by the research include:

• Overall, 81% of SMEs state late payments are an issue for them
• 51% of SMEs believe their business would run smoother if they had fewer late payments
• 82% of SMEs have up to £25k in late payments
• This rises for medium-sized companies which have an average of over £30k in late payments

Late payments within the sector are an increasingly public issue, with the main political parties vowing to stamp out the problem with legislation such as late payment reporting.

Ultimate Finance however, say that this sort of legislation can be incredibly divisive, and recognise that businesses of all sizes have their own cashflow issues. The company is now calling for the business community to come together and find its own solution.

Anthony Persse, Director of Strategy at Ultimate Finance commented: “We know that late payments can have a huge impact on small businesses. It is without a doubt, one of the biggest challenges faced by UK companies. However, there is a deep misconception that it is an exclusively small business issue which is simply untrue.

“This is leading to rules such as late payment reporting, which is creating an ‘us and them’ situation, when we should be seeking a workable long term solution. This is not just a case of the bigger boys picking on the smaller guys; cashflow and supply chain management affects every organisation, and should be tackled by the community coming together to support one another.”

The impact of government intervention has also been questioned by SMEs themselves. In research by BACS, 38% of small business owners questioned were unconvinced legislation would be helpful.

Ultimate Finance, which works with thousands of SMEs across the UK, believes that the business community needs to look at the way cashflow challenges affect companies of every size, and create an initiative or code of conduct that supports businesses holistically.

“We have taken a look at the numbers,” Persse says. “Many SMEs have significant late payment debt and it’s clear that something must be done. But current methods to help aren’t doing the job; just look at the bank referral scheme which is being evaluated for effectiveness.

“The issue is that politicians keep coming up with one-size fits all ideas and trying to dictate to businesses. Both SMEs and corporates are full of intelligent people who understand the challenges better than anyone.

They should be the ones to create the solution, with support from government and the wider industry – not the other way around.”

(Source: Ultimate Finance)

Less than a month ago, Fintech Week arrived in London with a bang, attracting hundreds of delegates from across the biggest FinTech organisations across the globe. Here Anthony Persse, Director of Strategy at Ultimate Finance, talks Finance Monthly through the challenges FinTechs face in delivering services that meet the needs of small to medium ventures.

A packed schedule awaited them, with ‘hackathons’, insurance innovation showcases and discussions on blockchain. What struck me when looking at the programme was the total absence of the word ‘customer’.

Not one talk, panel or roundtable event was planned to discuss what those using FinTech products actually wanted from the sector. Perhaps the recent successes and the incredible influx of investment has led the industry to believe it has it right already? It’s an easy assumption to make; FinTech is growing at a rate of knots, forcing the banking giants to sit up, take notice and fight to get their piece of the pie.

But, in the SME sector FinTechs are not having such a big impact and I think it’s because they are failing to ask that all important question – what does my customer need from me? Our recent research showed that the majority of SMEs in the UK still look to their main bank for financial support, even though the same research showed that small business owners didn’t feel their bank could always offer them what they needed. It’s a gap that needs filling, but it doesn’t look like FinTechs will be the plug.

That does not mean that technology does not have a huge part to play in the SME funding sector. Through an advanced online platform and a smart use of data, we were able to launch one of the fastest loans on the market, offering savvy SMEs who know what they need the option to access quick cash in an instant. We are continuing to develop our online capabilities because some SMEs do want a digital solution – it suits their needs.

And some need more of a helping hand. A human at the end of the phone who can sympathise, offer credible guidance based on their experience with hundreds of other SME customers and work through the funding options available. Those SMEs might lack experience of borrowing while others might have hit a patch of tough trading and simply not know where to turn. For these small businesses, an app isn’t going to cut it.

So will FinTechs ever meet the needs of SMEs? The answer is yes, and no. Some SMEs will find the agility that FinTechs offer works for them and that they can save money as online-only services can be cost effective. But ‘people do business with people’ is an old but still very true adage and it’s my opinion that lenders which offer a truly fair and flexible service, aligned to what SMEs really want and not what we think they want, will play an increasingly large role in the support of UK small businesses.

For Finance Monthly, Nic Beishon, Head of Commercial at Equifax, the consumer and business insights expert, below comments on the new Standards of Lending Practice for small businesses, which came into effect last week, 1^st July 2017.

As major contributors to the ongoing success of the UK economy, SMEs will benefit from the new Standards of Lending Practice. The standards will drive good practice for lenders when assessing different types of business, protecting those borrowing money and delivering fair customer outcomes. Evaluating a borrower’s capacity to meet their ongoing repayments is increasingly important to safeguard them against over indebtedness, and to identify businesses at risk of falling into financial distress.

The standards now apply not just to the very smallest business, but to any business with a turnover of up to £6.5 million. In order to meet their responsibilities to both clients and regulators, lenders need a 360-degree view of the applicant to understand their financial health. They should not just look at the businesses financials, but also the individuals behind the business. In particular, lenders should consider information such as the business current account turnover data and the use of overdrafts to assess whether, for example, a loan is appropriate. This should be the case no matter the size of the SME, whether the person being dealt with is a sole trader or a director of a company.

This information is not just important at the time of application, it should also be assessed on an ongoing basis to identify any change in circumstances, and in the case of financial difficulty, the best way to assist the business owner.

The SME sector is vital to the UK’s continued economic recovery and the standards are designed to create fairer lending for these important businesses. Integrating a mix of commercial and consumer analysis into lending decisions will allow lenders to commit to responsible loans while helping the sector to grow.